Tell Him
by Murrinholi
Summary: Your Father was waiting in the deserted airport lounge to greet me, I'll always remember his first words, he came up behind me so quietly I didn't even notice. "You must be my. ne-" That's all he had a chance to say before I spun around and faced him.


**Hi. I wrote this so long ago. I have finally plucked up the courage to post it though! This was inspired by the Dion/Streisand song 'tell him' - I love those two!! - so yeah... might be a load of twaddle, but reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**This is dedicated to Ellie, thank-you sweetie!**

**(Oh and I haven't beta'd this.. so feel free to point out stupid mistakes.)**

Whenever I think of love, I picture a long walk on a warm summers night. A breeze lightly flowing through my long dark hair, smelling the scent of Autumn.

A deep conversation with every word more beautiful than the last. Every move I make is filled with a single touch of hope. An eternity of treasured moments, each one lasting by one kiss, one touch, a glance from one sparking eye to another.

I look up to witness a rose petal falling from the night sky, dropping on two clasped hands, that fit perfectly in every way. A star sparkles in the night sky, one that dominates all the rest, shining down on us both, sharing our first kiss, with each other. A kiss that seems to last a lifetime.

The world slows down, making everything around us become blurred. The only thing in focus is that one other person that is perfect in every way. The years to come still havn't passed and the heartache of yesterday has been and gone.

This was the one moment in life where I could safely say, everything was how it should be. For that one night, that one moment, I had everything I'd always dreamt of.

I woke with a start, to the same room I had fallen asleep in. My Mothers study, the elegance of it all never ceased to amazing me. The open log fire had long since shrivelled away to nothing but cinders and ashes. I stretched out my legs, flexing every muscle.

I glanced at the clock and sighed. It was 9pm on a Friday night.

'21 years old, and I fall asleep reading a book. I should be out having fun, damn it I should be drinking and partying.' I almost screamed. I was incredibly frustrated at myself, for pining.

My heart skipped a few beats as I heard the front door bang. I relaxed slightly as I heard my Mothers voice.

"Tomorrow zero-five Melvin." She sounded tierd.

I rose to my feet staggering slightly, still not quite awake. I reached the drinks cabinet and poured two generous amounts of bourbon into sparkling crystal glass's.

I heard her fumbling at the door, before it swayed open slightly. I caught sight of her, the first female director of an armed Federal agency, I smiled to myself, there she was pushing 60 and still she refused to slow down.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead" I'd heard her quote those same words every week without fail to my Father for as many years as I could remember.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

"God Meli, you certainly inherited that from your Father, what are you doing lurking in the dark?"

"Inherited what Mom?" Even though the room was dimly lit, I could see her roll her eyes in annoyance, then she smiled.

"What are you doing sitting in here on a Friday night, shouldn't you be out with your friends having fun?" I passed her the bourbon and set about poking the fire back to life.

"Didn't feel like going out," I whispered.

"Uh huh" I could feel her standing behind me, staring at me. She always did that, it's as if she was looking for something hidden, and what ever it was she always found it. She pulled her shoes off and joined me on the floor in front of the fire, which by this time was beginning to show signs of life.

"Talk to me!" she nudged me.

I stayed quiet.

I raised the glass to my lips, the cold glass making contact with my teeth, I nibbled on my bottom lip for a second in thought, then emptied the thick amber liquid into my mouth, I let it sit on my tongue for a few seconds tasting it before swallowing, I felt it begin it's slow tingling decent downwards.

"Okay, I'll talk and your not gona freak out or tell dad are you?"

She bit her lip innocently.

"Depends on whether he needs to know or no-"

"Mom." I protested.

"Okay I won't tell your Father." She smiled.

I trusted my Mom completely, but there was this one niggling thought that always remained at the back of my mind. She and my Father were as thick as thieves, I loved them both equally I really did. What I didn't like about my Father was his over protectiveness of me. This had only gotten worse since he'd retired.

"Come on Meli I'm not getting any younger."

"I'm scared."

"Scared of what sweetheart? Has someone hurt you? Threatened you?" She placed her glass down on the marble hearth and watched me.

"No, nothing like that Mom. Do you remember Steven?" She looked perplexed for a moment, I could see her mentally run through images imprinted on her brain.

"Erm... remind me." I rolled my eyes.

"Steven Martin, medical student, you once said in front of dad 'if I was ten years younge-'

"OH, that Steven. why has he got you scared?"

Yep it was official, my Mother was thick.

"We're friends, but along the way 'our' friendship has developed into something more, at least on my part it has. I'm scared he's in love with someone else, I'm scared he'll think I'm a fool, for even considering it. Oh Mom I don't know what to do." I covered my face with my hands.

I lifted my head and turned to face her, she looked shocked for a minute before adjusting her position and beginning to speak;

"I've been there, exactly where you are." She rose to her feet making to pick up our two glass's, then thought better of it.

"Did you ever hear the story of how me and your Father finally 'got' together." She glanced at me, her cheeks were a slight shade of pink. I let her settle back on the floor with the bottle of bourbon before I answered.

"No, you always said I was too young." I pouted and she smiled and poured us each out another glass.

"I think I'll need this before I continue." - I hadn't heard much about my parents, but from what Uncle Tony had told me, they had been denying their love for years and years, long before I was a twinkle in my Dads eye.

_Oh my God Meli, it was twenty-nine years ago. I hadn't even thought about it until now. It seems like just yesterday. I was a young NCIS special Agent, or 'probie' as we were affectionately called. I hadn't been in the job long, when the opportunity to join a overseas team came up. Me being me accepted eagerly. Before I knew where I was I found myself in London, England. _

_Your Father was waiting in the deserted airport lounge to greet me, I'll always remember his first words, he came up behind me so quietly I didn't even notice. _

_"You must be my. ne-" That's all he had a chance to say before I spun around and faced him. He was young and so incredibly handsome, from the minute I stared into those glowing blue eyes I knew I could trust him._

"Was it love at first sight?" I questioned. My Mom looked like she was stuck in another time.

_hmm? no Love at first sight, defiantly not. I trusted him yes, I'd always had a sixth sense about people. As for love, I'd say more like hate. He was and I suppose still is a touturebag, he never EVER gave me any slack, for that I am now grateful. _

_He seemed to find the fact that he didn't scare or intimidate me entertaining. In the early days we were always bickering._

"Not much has changed then." I giggled at the stern look on her face.

_Not to say I didn't respect him, because I did. I followed his orders to the letter, there was nothing else for it. You see we were sent on various missions all across Europe, some highly dangerous. _

_It was after our first mission together as a team, I noticed him more. I noticed the stolen glances and the lop sided grin every time I'd enter a room. _

_I'm perfectly sure you don't want to hear all the details, but one windy day in late September we had a luxurious day off. We, well he decided that we would spend it together. The previous week we had lost two members of our team in a horrific 'shoot out', it still chills me to the bone to think about those poor people. _

_Your Father decided that we would go and place flowers on Omaha beach. That was it's code name during world war two. Your Grandfather on your Dads side had fought and died in that war. I remember the sublime peacefulness of it. But also an eery feeling of people watching us. The beach was near Vierville-sur-Mer in Normandy, France. I can still smell the sweet sea air; _

_We should go back there. _

_Anyway, we arrived in Vierville-sur-Mer and walked through the impressive park, then arrived at the most stunning yet totally deserted white sandy beach in the entire world. We placed the flowers on the shore, in respect for His Father and other fallen solders. As we walked back towards the small Village I felt him wrap his arm so gently around my waist and pull me close to his side. I remember stopping in shock at the uncharacteristic contact, usually the only 'physical contact' gifted by him was a 'head slap.' _

_I stood staring into those enchanting blue eyes mesmerized by them, then he leant down and placed the softest feather like kiss on my lips. _

_From that minute on I was hooked, we couldn't get enough of each other. The missions and cities rolled by in a haze, and we grew closer and closer. I loved him Meli I really did._

_After one of our last missions in Paris something changed. I never did fully work out what. There was just something that didn't feel right. I had been offered a promotion on the fast track scheme, to lead my own team. Of course I jumped at the chance. When I accepted that position I didn't realise what your Father's reaction would be. _

I watched her quickly gulp down the bourbon hard and fast, before picking up the bottle and pouring herself another.

"Come on, let's go into the lounge. I'm getting sore sitting here." I wasn't, if I had suggested that she was getting WAY too old to be sitting about on cold floors, she'd have killed me. Or worse gave me 'that' look.

I helped her to her feet and we walked into the lounge. The lush soft sofa looked much more inviting and relaxing than the cold floor of her study. Mom moved to the right hand side of it, slumping back into the snuggly cushions, lifting her legs up and angling her body slightly.

I sat down beside her scooting as close as I could, given I wasn't a child anymore it proved difficult to squeeze myself into the 'nook' her body made. I eventually got there and rested my head on her lap.

"What happened next? why was Dad so pissed?" I asked.

As she began to talk she unconsciously ran her fingers through my hair.

_Your Father wasn't mad at the fact I had accepted the assignment without talking it through with him, what he was mad at the fact it was a clandestine location, and the general secrecy surrounding it. He could never understand why I wouldn't tell him, Meli it got so bad I left him. I now realise it was a big mistake. _

_Oh god Meli, I wrote him a 'dear John letter'. _

I could hear my Mom's voice crack, and felt her battling hard with her emotions. I reached up grabbing her hand in mine willing her to continue.

_I never seen him again for nine long years. I tried to forget him, to move on. But every man I dated I found myself comparing him to your Father, I just couldn't help it._

_I dreamt of him, craved for him to whisper words so soft and sweet. To place my hand on his chest to feel his heart beat._

_I thought at the time I was doing what was best for me. I still did the day I walked back into his life. _

_I remember the shocked look on his face as I rose from my chair in MTAC as his new boss. _

_I made it clear from that day, that there would be no 'off the job' no 'picking up where we left off' I could see in his eyes that it hurt him almost as much as it hurt me. _

_The years past in a triad of slamming doors and screaming confrontation's. The sexual tension between us was unbearable. I had always denied my feelings for him, I had kept our relationship 'professional'. _

_That was until the day he got himself blown up. I believe Ziva told you about that didn't she? _

I nodded; "Yeah she did, you never left his side for over twenty-four hours. She was impressed that you left the White House to visit a injured employee. She did tell me, she always knew why you done it."

_Yes, Ziva could always see what I couldn't. You know when your Father finally decided to stop scaring us and wake up, he remembered no one. _

_Not even Ducky. _

_When Ducky told me this I was afraid to go and see him. I know that may sound ludicrous, but I just couldn't bare it. _

_You see I'd just found our about your half-Sister Kelly and her Mother. I was hurting so much, he didn't trust or think to tell me about them. _

_When I finally calmed down and regained my sense's I visited him in the middle of the night. _

_I stood helplessly beside his bed as he wriggled about tortured by his sleep._

_When he finally awoke, he looked at me as if I was a total stranger. I tell you, that felt like someone had replaced my heart with a massive block of ice. Then smashed it to smitherines._

_Then I saw his eyes flicker and he turned away. I remember feeling relief surging my body as I leant down and whispered in his ear._

_"You remembed us making love didn't you Jethro." He turned away just as your doing now._

_That relit something inside of me, made me realise I had to let him back into my life. _

_Then he did something unexpected, he decided to retire. Now that's a little chapter I like to refer to as his margarita safari._

"Hey Jen, you ever gona let up with that?" I turned around in my Mom's lap and saw the grinning face of my Father peering in from the open door.

"I'll let up with that the day you stop sneaking up on people, Jethro haven't you got something else you could be doing? Girl talk!" I notice his face screw up, the smallest glimmer of suspicion in his eyes.

"I know when I'm not wanted, let me know when it's safe for me to come back, I'll be in the basement."

"DAMN boat" both me and my Mom complained at the same time.

"Come on what happened next." I prodded trying to get her refocused.

_Alright, hint taken. Nothing happened for a while beside the usual arguments, some off the pretty prickly and heated variety. We never 'did' apologising it was one of his rules. What he used to do was bring me dinner or coffee in place of 'I'm sorry.' Even once he sent me Orchids. Those flowers caused a lot of speculation and still to this day un-clamied pools._

_He took up with this Army colonel Hollis Mann I never did take to her._

"Hollis?? What kind of name is that?"I grinned as the woman above me gasped in shock.

_Amelia Catlin Gibbs, where on earth did you learn to be so- ... I suppose bringing you up around one Anthony Dinozzo it was to be expected._

_Well I didn't like her one little bit. I suppose at the time I feared that the coma had changed your Father. Before he was always attracted and enchanted by red heads. _

_Now Hollis wasn't a red head, she was a blonde... a 'bottle blonde'. _I giggled at this.

_Jezz I even remember around that time I had subtle blonde highlights in my hair. Looking back now, I realise why I did it. _

_It was to get your Dads attention. Didn't seem to work though. _

_We danced around each other for a few more months, until one amazing Friday evening. I don't remember the particulars of the case, but this young boy was discovered quite by chance on a school trip to NCIS. _

_You Father came to me late on that Friday evening with the apparent intention of sending the boy to social services. I was surprised at this, usually in past case's he would convince me that it was in the child's best interest to stay with one of his team. I bought his story hook line and sinker. I offered to take the bo- Carson, I offered to take him home with me. God I remember him now a Mini Dinozzo in every single sense. _

_Your Father came by to check up on us later that evening,it then transpired that Carson had called him. But I'm still sure to this day he was checking up on me. _

_We talked for a while, it was nice. It felt right y'know?_

_"once upon a time I would have asked you to stay and not taken no for an answer." That's what I said to him, and his reply was a blunt NO. I could see something familiar glowing inside his eyes and I smiled as he shut the door. He not so subtly pointed out that it was my decision to finish our relationship. Which did hurt._

"Woah wait Mom are you telling me you hit on Dad while he was with another woman?" I was shocked.

_Oh no, I wouldn't have done that! I had found out earlier that day that Hollis had retired to somewhere tropical far, far away from Washington. It gave me the slight nudge I needed. _

_When Carson was reunited with both of his parents, I watched from high up on the cat-walk above the squad room. I watched Jethro smile lovingly towards the young boy, then turn and look up at me. My heart melted on that spot, pooling to the floor, my knees nearly gave way. _

_I don't know how I managed it, but I made my way back to my office and settled myself calmly on the sofa. I thought my heart was about to burst through my chest at this point. Little did I know that minutes later he would come crashing through the door._

_I still remember every word that was said twenty-one years ago. Very few._

_He came over to the sofa as I looked up from my paperwork at him curiously, he began to pace back and forth. I could see the scenarios running through his mind. I cautiously got to my feet and approached him;_

_"I made the biggest mistake in my life leavin-" he cut me off wrapping his strong arms around me and pulling me tightly to his body, I could barely breath. I heard him whisper._

_"God I've missed you Jen" before he started placing a slow trail of kisses down my neck, finally capturing my mouth, all the pent up heat and frustration took over in one of the most erotic kisses in my life he then- _

"Mom I _**DO NOT**_ need to hear the rest of that" I cringed.

_No you don't, needless to say that perfect night was made all the more special by making you. _

"TOO MUCH" Uuuregh.

_okay, I suppose what I'm trying to say is I've been there with my heart held out in my hand, but what you must understand is that you can't let the chance to love him pass him by. Tell him. _

_If I hadn't I could have lost the man I've only ever truly loved._

_"_I love him, of that much I can be sure. I don't think I could let him walk away. When I have so much to say."

_Tell him._

" I will, thank-you Mom." I wrapped my arms around her neck and gave her a massive hug. When I lifted my head from her shoulder I saw my Dad hesitantly hover in the door way. I smiled at him.

"Is it safe to come in yet?" He questioned. I nodded my head as he bent down to kiss my Mother. A Kiss full of passion if ever I've seen one. Their eyes danced a fiery waltz, a tiny spec of something glistening away happily as their eyes locked.

He approached the other side of the sofa and sank down with a huge "UMPH".

I then watched enchanted as he gathered my Mom's feet up on his lap, and began to slowly trace circles on them.

"Y'know Jen, you need to slow down your too old for 15 hour days."

"I'll sleep when I'm dead Jethro." My Mom responded, and she got rewarded by the apparently famous 'Gibbs stare"

"Nup, won't work on me Jethro, I'm not your subordinate, I'm your wife."

I felt more relaxed and encouraged by my Mom's words. I felt sure I had to follow my heart, my dream and confess my love to Steven. Who knows he might just feel the same way, after all men are a strange species. You can never quite figure out what goes on in their heads.

"Hey Mom, How did Dad propose?" They both looked at each other and rolled their eyes, as if sharing the same 'flash back'.

"That my angel, is an entirely different story." she smirked.

I looked down and saw two firmly clasped hands that fitted perfectly in every way.

**My parents.**

**Tonight love will assume its place  
**_This memory time cannot erase  
_Your faith will lead love where it has to go

Please review? Please?? xxx


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